a required security module cannot be activated

If you are seeing 'Activation Failed' events with the following error messages in the ds_agent.log:

This error message indicates that the agent software has not been installed on the computer that you would like to protect. To learn how to configure policy rules for agent-initiated communication and deploy agents using deployment scripts, see Activate and protect agents using agent-initiated activation and communication. If you your computers are in cloud accounts, we recommend that you always use agent-initiated activation. Check the DNS on your Deep Security Manager to ensure it can resolve your hosts. If your agent is in bidirectional or manager-initiated mode, your hostname must be resolvable in DNS. The error: Activation Failed (Unable to resolve hostname) could be the result of an unresolvable hostname in DNS or of activating the agent from Deep Security Manager when you are not using agent-initiated activation. (See Port numbers, URLs, and IP addresses and Create a firewall rule.)

Ensure that the ports are open between the manager and the agent.

Ensure that the agent is installed on the computer and that the agent is running.

Use the following troubleshooting steps when the error occurs and the agent uses bidirectional communication:

(See Activate an agent.)Įnsure that the console allows agent-initiated activation by going to Administration > System Settings > Agent and selecting Allow Agent-Initiated Activation. When the agent uses agent-initiated communication, you need to activate the agent from the agent computer. (See Agent-manager communication.) Agent-initiated communication The communication directionality that the agent uses determines the method that you should use to troubleshoot this error. This error typically occurs when you use Deep Security Manager to attempt to activate a Deep Security Agent and the manager is unable to communicate with the agent. Several events can trigger an 'Activation Failed' alert:

A required security module cannot be activated